Cross-party group hoping to secure a 'no' vote in next year's referendum on introducing the alternative vote system says it has the backing of 114 Labour MPs
Campaigners against a change in the Westminster voting system claimed the support of 114 Labour MPs today in their bid to secure a "no" vote in next May's referendum.
The cross-party "No To AV" group hailed the declared backing of almost half the party's 253-strong Commons contingent as a significant signal of the party's opposition to replacing the first-past-the-post system.
The Labour leader, Ed Miliband, backs the change to the alternative vote system ? a Labour manifesto promise ? and has refused to rule out campaigning alongside the Liberal Democrat deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, for the rival "yes" campaign.
But MPs have been allowed a free vote on the issue and many are determined to help block the move, with five members of the shadow cabinet among those declaring their opposition: Caroline Flint, John Healey, Meg Hillier, Mary Creagh and Ivan Lewis.
No To AV has already assembled a high-profile team of senior Labour figures to head its campaign, including Margaret Beckett, John Prescott, David Blunkett, John Reid and Lord Falconer.
They will work alongside senior Tories such as the foreign secretary, William Hague, the justice secretary, Ken Clarke, and the party chairman, Lady Warsi.
Allowing a public vote ? due to be held on 5 May on the same day as local and devolved administration elections ? was a key concession won by the Liberal Democrats as part of coalition negotiations with the Conservatives.
Joan Ryan, former Labour MP and deputy campaign director of the No to AV group, said: "This issue is more important than party politics.
"The Labour party has said that MPs, councillors and activists are free to make up their own mind. We are pleased to see so many MPs from right across the party united in voting No and we are confident that many Labour supporters will be joining them."
The full list of Labour MPs intending to vote no
David Anderson, Lindsay Hoyle, Ian Austin, Tristram Hunt, Adrian Bailey, Cathy Jamieson, Gordon Banks, Diana Johnson, Margaret Beckett, Helen Jones, Stuart Bell, Kevan Jones, Joe Benton, Eric Joyce, Clive Betts, Gerald Kaufman, Hazel Blears, Alan Keen, David Blunkett, Ian Lavery, Russell Brown, Ivan Lewis, David Cairns, Ian Lucas, Ronnie Campbell, Denis MacShane, Jenny Chapman, Steve McCabe, Katy Clark, Michael McCann, Tom Clarke,Siobhain McDonagh, Ann Clwyd, Jim McGovern,Vernon Coaker, Alan Meale, David Crausby, Ian Mearns, Mary Creagh, Alun Michael, John Cryer, Andrew Miller, Jim Cunningham, Austin Mitchell, Margaret Curran, Graeme Morrice, Simon Danczuk, Grahame Morris, Ian Davidson, George Mudie, Geraint Davies, Meg Munn, Jim Dobbin, Paul Murphy, Thomas Docherty, Ian Murray, Brian H. Donohoe, Fiona O'Donnell, Julie Elliott, Albert Owen, Louise Ellman, Toby Perkins, Natascha Engel, Yasmin Qureshi, Chris Evans, Rachel Reeves, Jim Fitzpatrick, Linda Riordan, Robert Flello, John Robertson, Caroline Flint, Frank Roy, Yvonne Fovargue, Barry Sheerman, Sheila Gilmore, Jim Sheridan, Pat Glass, Gavin Shuker, Mary Glindon, Dennis Skinner, Paul Goggins, Angela Smith, Tom Greatrex, Nick Smith, Kate Green, John Spellar, Andrew Gwynne, Graham Stringer, David Hamilton, Gisela Stuart, Tom Harris, Gerry Sutcliffe, John Healey, Mark Tami, Mark Hendrick, Emily Thornberry, Stephen Hepburn, Karl Turner, David Heyes, Derek Twigg, Meg Hillier, Keith Vaz, Julie Hilling, Joan Walley,Margaret Hodge, Dave Watts, Sharon Hodgson, Chris Williamson, Jim Hood, Phil Wilson, Kelvin Hopkins, David Winnick, George Howarth, David Wright.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/dec/29/no-to-av-support-114-labour-mps
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